What size PW?
I hade a bit of a shocker today. Pushed my comfort zone in an exposed launch with a flood tide leaving the launch around and up the fortified Old Point Comfort (birthplace of a lot of modern US history). The main hazard was getting upwind and the wind dying, leaving you caught in the flood, with no way to surf the bumps back to the launch, which is exactly what happened to me.
I aired on the side of caution and rigged my 85L DW board (I’m 69kgs) and a bigger 1080 foil, despite the 880 sized groomed bumps. After a few attempts I got up with the 3M maliko and made my way upwind, licking my chops at all the great swell.
As soon as I got to the top of my line, i felt the wind slack. I turned DW on a bump and botched the stow, forgetting to unhook from the harness first. After I came off foil, I tried a few times with the 3M, then swapped for the 4M reserve. Multiple attempts later, flirting with the commercial shipping lane, I resigned myself to spinnerking my way back to the launch. The 85L was perfect for kneeling and sailing along at a deep reach.
In hindsight, I could have winged with my buddy, who had stories of great swell downwind, or I could have stowed my SUP paddle, or hand paddles. I had multiple launch attempts where I would get on foil on the backside of a swell, with no help from a just depowered PW. Very frustrating!!
Luckily the 2knt flood was waining and I was able to make it back to the launch, hollering ‘Ahoy!’ To my friend waiting around the point.
Also, a note about the 85L. Very much a ‘surface vessel’ at my 69kgs. My 55L is actually easier to manage in a lot of regards.
